Nixon’s state budget

Thursday

Jan 29, 2009 at 12:01 AMJan 29, 2009 at 11:00 AM

Henry J. Waters III

Gov. Jay Nixon proposes a FY 2010 state budget built on the same wishful expectation. His concoction balances only if the federal government provides more than $800 million from Obama’s emergency plan.

Not only is this highly speculative — the money might not arrive — but if the money does come, how long can the spending be maintained? With a Democrat governor and a Republican General Assembly, making state budgets is a political pushing match. GOP legislative leaders gladly let the governor walk out on a plank with his proposal. The governor gladly proposes popular items, putting the onus on the legislature to cut them out.

Usually this game is restrained because Missouri law requires a balanced budget, but when doubtful sources of revenue from afar are counted in, such discipline can be ignored. What Nixon is doing is akin to what Democratic Gov. Bob Holden did in 2003 when he proposed a budget that would balance only if the Republican legislature passed tax increases. Nixon expects no such action from the General Assembly, but his reliance on pie-in-thesky from Washington is similarly chancy.

Gov. Nixon proposed no Plan B. Perhaps he believes the status of the Obama gusher will be known in time for lucid state budget-making. His expanded budget honestly reflects his priorities as stated in his campaign. But without sure knowledge of additional federal revenue, the budget will have to be made with less spending, and Nixon will gladly let the legislature do the cutting.